Tony and the TV

No, its not a children's book. Just Tony's love for Diana Lane Amrein, his recently purchased big TV. She is in fact very pretty. We just watched Robinson Cano get his 200th hit of the season on her. And now he got caught stealing. WHAT THE FUCK. Well, I'll manage.

So here you go Tony, your very own blog post dedication. Maybe there will be more in the future.

Yankees

No shock, a Yankees post.

Well with the Rangers loss to Oakland, the Yankees clinch a 2009 playoff spot (worst they can do is the wild card). In 20 seasons of my life, I've seen them win 11 division titles (94, 96, 98-06), make the playoffs 14 times (95-07, 09: 94 they won the division but it was a strike shortened season). Hopefully this year will mark the 12th division title, but playoffs are playoffs.

Just so you know, I have no confidence when it comes to playoff baseball (thank you 2001-08). I want them to win. I think they can win. But I WILL NOT SAY THEY WILL WIN until they HAVE WON. Like Yogi said, "It ain't over til' its over".

And now the Yankees win.....THHHHEEEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN! Magic number for division, 6.

Grace's Wedding

So I was home this weekend for my cousin Grace's wedding. Grace is the third of three, the only three cousins I have on my mom's side of the family, the Carollos (it was just her and her brother, Michael). They grew up 3 towns away in Fairfield, so we've been close with them our whole lives. Only real barrier is that they are all older (Grace, the youngest, is a year and a half older than my sister), but overall we've been a nice Italian family seeing each other at every major holiday.

^The Carollo Family plus spouses and children

Grace married Jeff, who I regret to say is the most enjoyable Red Sock fan I've ever known. I told him at the reception that only 7.5 hours before, I called Mariano Rivera in Seattle and told him to give up that game-winning home run to Ichiro as a wedding present, despite my fantasy ramifications.

It was in Morristown, NJ at the campus of St. Elizabeth's, where she went to school. First, thoughts on the ceremony

• First time I was at a religious service in almost 4 years exactly. Last time was for her brother's wedding in 2005.
• Despite my contrary beliefs, my first words in the church probably shouldn't have been "Holy crap this place is nice"
• I forgot how long Catholic ceremonies are, and how boring.
• I didn't feel weird not participating in most of the mass, but I did go up for communion.

Then...the reception in Basking Ridge. Beautiful place, The Old Mill Inn. Nice combo of hotel and reception hall. First, the food

In cocktail hour

• Mashed potato bar
• Bacon Wrapped scallops
• Muscles
• Ham Carving station
• Rack of Lamb
• Shrimp cocktail
• Lobster Puffs
• Various cheese and crackers
• Stuff I didn't want to eat and therefore didn't choose to remember

Main Courses

• Salad
• I had the tenderloin with mashed potatoes
• Cake and other assorted desserts

Now....the Booze (OPEN BAR!), or at least what I had

• Beers were Yueng, Bud, Sam Adams (Boston and Summer), and Amstel Light. I had one Amstel with dinner
• Jack and Coke
• Captain and Coke
• Captain Jack and Coke
• Vodka Sprite
• SoCo Ginerale
• Long Island Iced Tea (for the kill at one point)
• Champagne
• I was a bad Italian and didn't have any wine cause I don't like it
• Finished Kara's Appletini.....NOT easy on the tini

Then we (Myself, Kara, Jess and Glenn) returned to the Klein household (Thanks Dad for being the "sober" driver) for....more beer! Yueng and Buzz Word. Then Bud Light for Beer Pong (featuring the return of the Campion 202 small folding table!).

Of course, how can one get drunk in Jersey and NOT end up at a diner? We went to Pilgrim. I had a Ham and Cheese Omlet, Fries with Cheese and Gravy, White Toast, and a Coke.

Kara and I did as a result miss Craig's Fest. But that's MORE than ok, I'll take an open bar of top-shelf liquors and good beers over 30$ for a 500-person line for Milwaukee's Best Light in the heat.

Peace Path, 9/11/09

Yesterday I participated in the Baltimore Charles St Peace Path, run by Women In Black, Baltimore. The goal was to get a chain of demonstrators to go from the beginning of Charles St. in the Inner Harbor and have it continue all the way up to the Beltway in Towson (10.42 miles). It was from 4pm-6pm, but I didn't get there until 4:45 ish.

Someone was advertising it on the quad during the week, and right away it seemed like something I wanted to do. In all honesty, if it wasn't running right through the middle of our campus I probably wouldn't have taken the time to join. But it was, and I was very proud to be a part of it. I was happy to stand out in the rain for an hour and a half trying to get passing by cars to honk for peace.

The demonstration at Loyola had a decent turn out (rain kept plenty of people from coming I'm sure). Most of the signs were the official ones of the demonstration, but a good amount of people had their own self-made ones, mostly peace in other languages. It was mostly students who participated, but there were a couple GRCs and several professors.

The reception by passing cars was overwhelmingly supportive. At every time people were honking, giving peace sign in their car, and a good amount of thumbs ups and fist raises. Every time it really meant something to me. Just to know that that one person took just one second of their drive to show support for a great cause. That's all they needed to do, just acknowledge. Even though its a nothing gesture, I felt like they really cared every time.

Not all the of the reception was positive. A couple of people went out of their ways to be dicks about it, which I do not get. All the signs were pro-peace. There were no anti-war signs, yet some people still seemed to think we were demonstrating against soldiers. One guy in particular, while stopped at the light, gave us non-stop thumbs down. He only stopped to give a double flip off as he drove away. I don't get it. If only the irony-karma gods could shine down and he get jumped....but I feel bad even wishing for that.

Overall, it was a really great experience. Peace is something I am very very supportive of. I'm against not only the current wars, but just war in general. The point of it was to support the people who lost their lives 8 years ago yesterday because of lack of peace. Peace is something as simple as treating others how you want to be treated to something like not having wars, where not only everyday people get killed in battle, but civilians also suffer. 9/11 ended 3000 lives. Sadly, in Iraq over the past 6+ years, about 32 times the number of civilians of who died that day have died (http://www.iraqbodycount.org/). I just don't see why that needs to be. With soldiers its the same thing. U.S. soldiers do not need to be dying for this. Foreign soldiers, the "enemy", don't need to either.

Just remember: Peace, Love, and Unity

Westbound Train and 9/11: "If life's so good, why does it hurt so bad?"

It should be noted right away that this post will change moods very quickly. I'm first going to recap my night last night in DC seeing Westbound Train, to then recapping my experiences and memories of September 11, 2001.

First up: last night. For the 8th time, I saw Westbound Train. And for the 8th time, they were amazing to say the least. The show was at DC9, in DC. For any Loyola people reading this, I'll try to describe the setting. The bar was like Zen West, if it had an upstairs with a bar and stage that weren't anything special. Around it, were bars like a Swallows, or Jerrys, even a Ryan's Daughter. Aside from the bars, it was like York Road. The place though was really cool. Nice small setting, not too many people but there was still a great crowd of WBT fans.

First up was Kill Lincoln, from DC. I liked them. College kids playing so pretty good original songs (and a good cover of "Knowledge" by Operation Ivy). It was the Sax players last show, and the crowd was largely fans of theirs. Not bad at all.

Next were The Ambitions, who I had seen part of a set before once at the Ottobar. Good 2-tone esq band. Guitar, Bass, Drums, (Excellent) Keyboards, and a chick singer who had a lot of soul in her voice.

Then....Westbound Train. The band had recently had their trailer robbed in New York, so they had to borrow Kill Lincoln's equipment for most of their stuff. Despite this, they were great. For my photo project, Luke, the sax player, let me take pictures of him the whole set...even a couple from on the very crowded stage. They had great energy, talked directly to the crowed, just played an amazing set as always. Even if you don't like ska or reggae too much, check them out live.

Songs they played:

• I Don't Belong Here
• Check Your Time
• Come and Get It
• Salvation
• What You Need
• For the Record
• Please Forgive Me
• Good Enough
• Sorry Momma
• Gone
• Covered "I Fought the Law" by The Clash
• Covered "Cupid" by Sam Cooke
• Covered "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King
• Covered "Monkey Man" by Toots and the Maytals

I can't think of a witty or appropriate transition between the two topics (as I already used the quote from "Salvation" at the title) so I'm just going to jump right into it.

I remember Tuesday, September 11, 2001 very clearly. Very minor details. I remember being driven to school by my dad and them saying on "Elvis Duran and the Z Morning Zoo" that it was national 9-1-1 day. I remember being in Miss Mastrasamone's (don't care if that is spelled wrong) 7th grade on-level English class when our principle, Mr. Burke, came on the speaker to announce what had happened. I remember him incorrectly saying that the mall of America was on fire. I remember that when he said if anyone has family who works in NYC that they should go to the auditorium and I remember Eric Felcher getting up and leaving.

I remember the stupid people I went to middle school with thinking that our small school was going to be attacked and that the Russian's were responsible. I remember Mrs. Roberts snapping at someone who asked if we were going to change for gym. I remember leaving during Ms. Vilvechia's (again, don't care) class when everyone else form my street were called out early. I remember playing football behind the Herman's house and Louis' dad saying to us "say your prayers", not yet knowing the extent of had happened.

In the following days, I remember MTV playing the same things over and over again, specifically a Beastie Boys interview. I remember minor details coming out every day, but still mostly confusion. To an extent this is all I remember.

In the years that followed, I remember some other things, much of this that provided the inspiration for the Bomb the Music Industry! song "9/11 Fever!". Things I can't get mad at include the video footage taken by the French guys filming the firehouse who happened to get both planes on camera and "United 93".

I just deleted the rest of my post where I rant about the Nick Cage movie about the events. It wasn't necessary nor too appropriate. Just know that that is poor depiction of the days events, while "United 93" is a fantastic one. If you want an action movie, go see the Nick Cage one. If you want something real, go see "United 93".

With that delete I lost my very crappy tribute to the people involved on 9/11. Just know as someone who could see the Skyline from my town, there is no way to measure what they did that day and just knowing that they did it and appreciating it silently in your own manner is all you need to do. Plain and simple, words and actions cant demonstrate the thanks you owe them.

One week down, about 16 to go...

Fall semester is one week in and here is the breakdown/schedule for the rest of the year

Mondays

• Admissions Office from 9-1
• International Business from 3-4:15 (seems like a decent class thus far)
• Managerial Accounting from 4:30-5:45 (ungodly boring)
• Financial Management from 6:30-9:15 (oh just wonderful)

Tuesdays

• Digital Photography from 12:15-1:55 (not too crazy about this one)
• Selling Concepts and Strategies from 4:30-5:45 (so far I love this class)

Wednesdays

• Admissions Office from 9-12
• International Business from 3-4:15
• Managerial Accounting from 4:30-5:45

Thursdays is the same as Tuesdays
Nothing on Fridays!

As you can see, this schedule leaves me with little free time in the afternoon for homework, eating, gym, and napping...all things I need time for. We'll see how this goes over.